The first show will kick off with a stellar lineup of the best of the best in AFL talent to discuss the 2017 AFL Premiership Season which is only weeks away. Geelong superstar and 2016 Brownlow Medal winner, Patrick Dangerfield, will be joining the panel alongside the new captain of the reassembled Essendon Bombers, Dyson Heppell, who is returning to footy this year after his one-year doping ban, and Hawthorn vice-captain Isaac Smith

New Sydney correspondent, quirky Greater Western Sydney star Heath Shaw, will be hitting the streets of Sydney to find out how popular GWS really is. Plus the regular segments Almost Footy Legends, Sam’s Mailbag and What The Foss?

Join the conversation online with Adelaide captain Tex Walker, live tweeting his take on the first show of the year from the AFL Footy Show Player Takeover Twitter account at @playertakeover.

But the question everyone is asking is: Will Sam Newman get along with his new co-host Hutchy? And will Hutchy handle the heat on his Footy Show debut? All this and so much more when the 2017 season of The Footy Show returns on Thursday night.